To Istanbul!

The train gathers speed as it crosses the plains of the former Yugoslavia,
and our kittees are relaxing in the longue car. Some are having a late
brunch, some napping and some snacking as the cows and fields whiz by on
this last leg of the trip.

Anaïs is sitting with Tiger having a brunch of eggs benedict; she sips a
Mimosa. Cleopatra and TV are at the next cushion.

"Well my fwiendz, dis has been a wunnerful trip, a real advenchur, hazn't
it? "An look, Cleo, doze siks kitteez wif da kitty litter are in da far
corner playing cards. I wunner what dey iz up to?"
--
Purrs,

Mlle. Anaïs
4/7/2005 9:38:02 AM
anais+at+electric-ink+dot+com

Mlle. Anaïs ^..^ wrote:
The train gathers speed as it crosses the plains of the former Yugoslavia,
and our kittees are relaxing in the longue car. Some are having a late
brunch, some napping and some snacking as the cows and fields whiz by on
this last leg of the trip.

Anaïs is sitting with Tiger having a brunch of eggs benedict; she sips a
Mimosa. Cleopatra and TV are at the next cushion.

"Well my fwiendz, dis has been a wunnerful trip, a real advenchur, hazn't
it? "An look, Cleo, doze siks kitteez wif da kitty litter are in da far
corner playing cards. I wunner what dey iz up to?"

They appear to be a little nervous. And I notice that they occasionally
look around the room as if to see who might be watching them. It looks
like they are expecting something to happen soon.

Cleo

Her Royal Highness Cleopatra Silvercat wrote:
Mlle. Ana=EFs ^..^ wrote:
The train gathers speed as it crosses the plains of the former
Yugoslavia,
and our kittees are relaxing in the longue car. Some are having a
late
brunch, some napping and some snacking as the cows and fields whiz
by on
this last leg of the trip.

Ana=EFs is sitting with Tiger having a brunch of eggs benedict; she
sips a
Mimosa. Cleopatra and TV are at the next cushion.

"Well my fwiendz, dis has been a wunnerful trip, a real advenchur,
hazn't
it? "An look, Cleo, doze siks kitteez wif da kitty litter are in da
far
corner playing cards. I wunner what dey iz up to?"

They appear to be a little nervous. And I notice that they
occasionally
look around the room as if to see who might be watching them. It
looks
like they are expecting something to happen soon.

Cleo

Chester, Clarence and Nathan walk into the dining car. Chester and
Nathan go to order food for the 3 of them while Clarence joins Mlle
Anais and Cloe.

They smell nervous too. What do you think is going on?

Clarence

On 8 Apr 2005 04:30:12 -0700, ClowderCat wrote:


Chester, Clarence and Nathan walk into the dining car. Chester and
Nathan go to order food for the 3 of them while Clarence joins Mlle
Anais and Cloe.

They smell nervous too. What do you think is going on?

Clarence

I duzzent kno, but herez da Inspektor comink in.

"Inspecktor! Bon jour! Ca bouge? Wood you like to sit wif us?

--
Purrs,

Mlle. Anaïs
4/8/2005 1:32:27 PM
anais+at+electric-ink+dot+com

Mlle. Ana=EFs ^..^ wrote:
On 8 Apr 2005 04:30:12 -0700, ClowderCat wrote:


Chester, Clarence and Nathan walk into the dining car. Chester
and
Nathan go to order food for the 3 of them while Clarence joins Mlle
Anais and Cloe.

They smell nervous too. What do you think is going on?

Clarence

I duzzent kno, but herez da Inspektor comink in.

"Inspecktor! Bon jour! Ca bouge? Wood you like to sit wif us?

--
Purrs,

Mlle. Ana=EFs
4/8/2005 1:32:27 PM
anais+at+electric-ink+dot+com

Chester and Nathan join the group with enough food for 20 kitties.

Hi Inspektor. Hi Mlle Anais. Hi Cleo. Do you want to eat?

Chester and Nathan

Do you think we can get Captain Midnight to join us?

Clarence

Tiger and TV study the cats playing the card game very quietly and
carefully, for signs, well of anything,...
Mlle. Anaïs ^..^ wrote in message
...
The train gathers speed as it crosses the plains of the former Yugoslavia,
and our kittees are relaxing in the longue car. Some are having a late
brunch, some napping and some snacking as the cows and fields whiz by on
this last leg of the trip.

Anaïs is sitting with Tiger having a brunch of eggs benedict; she sips a
Mimosa. Cleopatra and TV are at the next cushion.

"Well my fwiendz, dis has been a wunnerful trip, a real advenchur, hazn't
it? "An look, Cleo, doze siks kitteez wif da kitty litter are in da far
corner playing cards. I wunner what dey iz up to?"
--
Purrs,

Mlle. Anaïs
4/7/2005 9:38:02 AM
anais+at+electric-ink+dot+com

[As everykitty relaxes in the lounge car, Cleo signals the bartender for
a round of nip champagne for everyone. The drinks are delivered, and
Cleo is about to offer up a toast when her something catches her eye. It
appears that a very large, fluffy black dust bunny has just rolled into
the room. When it begins to squeak frantically, Cleo realizes that it's
actually Tabitha kitten with all her fur standing on end.]

Slow down, little one, and squeak more slowly. I can't understand a
thing you're saying.

[Tabitha, breathlessly] Cargo car.... noises... scary... HURRY!

[At this announcement Cleo and TV dash down the hallway towards the
cargo car, with the other lounge kitties following. As they get close
Cleo allows TV to take the lead, desiring the protection of her strong,
handsome winkwink. As they get to the cargo car they see the door is
standing ajar, and a loud, very angry shriek is coming from the car.

TV bursts through the door with Cleo close on his heels. Here is what
they see:

The cargo car is full of wooden pallets. On each wooden pallet is
stacked a couple dozen large bags labeled "kitty litter". The pallet
full of stacked bags were then wrapped with shrink-wrap plastic to keep
the bags from toppling. There are at least 3 or 4 dozen pallets in the
freight car, filling it wall to wall and nose to tail.

At least half of the bags of litter have been clawed open. Where they
were opened, fine-grained clumping kitty litter has spilled out. It feel
almost soft to the paw, and doesn't appear to be dusty. Neatly centered
in each of the rips is a mound of kitty hurk. Someone apparently found
the litter to be an appropriate place to deposit their hairballs or
undigested kitty food.

On the pallet nearest the large sliding door on the side of the car is a
pallet very similar to the others, but one bag on this pallet is
off-color. While the other bags had been sewn shut with red thread, this
bag was sewn with green thread. And when this bag was clawed open, the
material that spilled out was larger chunks of sharp-cornered clay along
with a sizeable cloud of dust. This material would be better suited to
use as an industrial absorbent than as litter for sensitive kitty feet.
Standing on top of this bag is Loveable Louise, shreaking and yowling
with her tail all fluffed out.]

Louise: HISSSS!!! Somecat try hury mine paws! Dis bad stuff! Hurt paws!

Cleo: Louise! Are you ok?

Louise: I ok but somecat mean! Dis not soft litter like udders.

Cleo: May I look? [Louise hops to the next bag over so Cleo can check
things out. Cleo sniffs and paws the coarse litter and stands pondering
for a moment.] TV, I need your help! Could you jump onto the top of this
bag, dig your claws into the material near the top, and rip it down the
side? [TV hops to do as requested, shredding the side of the bag.]

Now I need the help of Lilith Kitten and Harri Roadcat. I understand
from your humans that you're both rather accomplished litter flingers.
Would you two kittens be so kind as to fling the litter from this bag,
over towards that front edge of the big door?

[The two kitties hop to the task, flinging the coarse litter with great
abandon. They quickly slow down, though, since the litter is kind rough
on sensitive paw pads. Just a couple of minutes after they begin a loud
"thunk" echoes through the cargo car. Cleo calls a halt to the little
flinging and calls the Inspector over.]

Inspector, if you would look in that pile of litter, I think you'll find
something interesting.

Inspector: Sacre bleu, it eez a necklace! In fact, I believe eet eez one
of ze necklaces stolen before the train trip began! Captain Midnight,
sir, if oyu would be so kind as to marshall some of your law enforcement
kitties, I believe zat we need to sift through the contents of zat
litter bag.

[A sharp hiss, quickly suppressed, is heard from one of the ruffian cats
who had followed the procession to the cargo car. He quickly turns and
leaves.

Cleo: Ok, everykitty, I suggest that we leave this car to the Inspector
and Capt Midnight to process. Louise, thank you! You led us to a very
important discovery. If you hadn't clawed open that bag and announced
the discrepancy we might well have missed this find.

[As she passes by the Inspector she whispers a reminder to him that
Capt. Midnight still has on board the train the fingerprint cards lifted
from all of the strange kitties, as well as the fingerprint match
results from Interpol-cat]

Ok, everykitty, let's return to the lounge car and leave the lawcats to
work. I'll buy a round of nip champagne or nip tea for everykitty.

Her Royal Highness Cleopatra Silvercat wrote:
[As everykitty relaxes in the lounge car, Cleo signals the bartender for
a round of nip champagne for everyone. The drinks are delivered, and
Cleo is about to offer up a toast when her something catches her eye. It
appears that a very large, fluffy black dust bunny has just rolled into
the room. When it begins to squeak frantically, Cleo realizes that it's
actually Tabitha kitten with all her fur standing on end.]

Slow down, little one, and squeak more slowly. I can't understand a
thing you're saying.

[Tabitha, breathlessly] Cargo car.... noises... scary... HURRY!

[At this announcement Cleo and TV dash down the hallway towards the
cargo car, with the other lounge kitties following. As they get close
Cleo allows TV to take the lead, desiring the protection of her strong,
handsome winkwink. As they get to the cargo car they see the door is
standing ajar, and a loud, very angry shriek is coming from the car.

TV bursts through the door with Cleo close on his heels. Here is what
they see:

The cargo car is full of wooden pallets. On each wooden pallet is
stacked a couple dozen large bags labeled "kitty litter". The pallet
full of stacked bags were then wrapped with shrink-wrap plastic to keep
the bags from toppling. There are at least 3 or 4 dozen pallets in the
freight car, filling it wall to wall and nose to tail.

At least half of the bags of litter have been clawed open. Where they
were opened, fine-grained clumping kitty litter has spilled out. It feel
almost soft to the paw, and doesn't appear to be dusty. Neatly centered
in each of the rips is a mound of kitty hurk. Someone apparently found
the litter to be an appropriate place to deposit their hairballs or
undigested kitty food.

On the pallet nearest the large sliding door on the side of the car is a
pallet very similar to the others, but one bag on this pallet is
off-color. While the other bags had been sewn shut with red thread, this
bag was sewn with green thread. And when this bag was clawed open, the
material that spilled out was larger chunks of sharp-cornered clay along
with a sizeable cloud of dust. This material would be better suited to
use as an industrial absorbent than as litter for sensitive kitty feet.
Standing on top of this bag is Loveable Louise, shreaking and yowling
with her tail all fluffed out.]

Louise: HISSSS!!! Somecat try hury mine paws! Dis bad stuff! Hurt paws!

Cleo: Louise! Are you ok?

Louise: I ok but somecat mean! Dis not soft litter like udders.

Cleo: May I look? [Louise hops to the next bag over so Cleo can check
things out. Cleo sniffs and paws the coarse litter and stands pondering
for a moment.] TV, I need your help! Could you jump onto the top of this
bag, dig your claws into the material near the top, and rip it down the
side? [TV hops to do as requested, shredding the side of the bag.]

Now I need the help of Lilith Kitten and Harri Roadcat. I understand
from your humans that you're both rather accomplished litter flingers.
Would you two kittens be so kind as to fling the litter from this bag,
over towards that front edge of the big door?

[The two kitties hop to the task, flinging the coarse litter with great
abandon. They quickly slow down, though, since the litter is kind rough
on sensitive paw pads. Just a couple of minutes after they begin a loud
"thunk" echoes through the cargo car. Cleo calls a halt to the little
flinging and calls the Inspector over.]

Inspector, if you would look in that pile of litter, I think you'll find
something interesting.

Inspector: Sacre bleu, it eez a necklace! In fact, I believe eet eez one
of ze necklaces stolen before the train trip began! Captain Midnight,
sir, if oyu would be so kind as to marshall some of your law enforcement
kitties, I believe zat we need to sift through the contents of zat
litter bag.

[A sharp hiss, quickly suppressed, is heard from one of the ruffian cats
who had followed the procession to the cargo car. He quickly turns and
leaves.

Cleo: Ok, everykitty, I suggest that we leave this car to the Inspector
and Capt Midnight to process. Louise, thank you! You led us to a very
important discovery. If you hadn't clawed open that bag and announced
the discrepancy we might well have missed this find.

[As she passes by the Inspector she whispers a reminder to him that
Capt. Midnight still has on board the train the fingerprint cards lifted
from all of the strange kitties, as well as the fingerprint match
results from Interpol-cat]

Ok, everykitty, let's return to the lounge car and leave the lawcats to
work. I'll buy a round of nip champagne or nip tea for everykitty.

[Louise apologizes for having used so many words.]
==========
[Allegra is unaware of this latest development, as she is still in the
dining car eating, as she has been doing for most of this adventure.]

Wat uh grayte trip! Sumday Meowmie Beverly & Papaw Leo & Anti Gwen ar goin
tu du dis sayme route.
Fangu fur plannin awl uv it.

Luff,
Samantha & cuzzins Finney, Lucey & Jeannie
"Mlle. Anaïs ^..^" wrote in message
...
The train gathers speed as it crosses the plains of the former Yugoslavia,
and our kittees are relaxing in the longue car. Some are having a late
brunch, some napping and some snacking as the cows and fields whiz by on
this last leg of the trip.

Anaïs is sitting with Tiger having a brunch of eggs benedict; she sips a
Mimosa. Cleopatra and TV are at the next cushion.

"Well my fwiendz, dis has been a wunnerful trip, a real advenchur, hazn't
it? "An look, Cleo, doze siks kitteez wif da kitty litter are in da far
corner playing cards. I wunner what dey iz up to?"
--
Purrs,

Mlle. Anaïs
4/7/2005 9:38:02 AM
anais+at+electric-ink+dot+com

TV takes the paw of his love and they return to the lounge car, that sure
wuz 'citin, TV
Her Royal Highness Cleopatra Silvercat wrote in message
...
[As everykitty relaxes in the lounge car, Cleo signals the bartender for
a round of nip champagne for everyone. The drinks are delivered, and
Cleo is about to offer up a toast when her something catches her eye. It
appears that a very large, fluffy black dust bunny has just rolled into
the room. When it begins to squeak frantically, Cleo realizes that it's
actually Tabitha kitten with all her fur standing on end.]

Slow down, little one, and squeak more slowly. I can't understand a
thing you're saying.

[Tabitha, breathlessly] Cargo car.... noises... scary... HURRY!

[At this announcement Cleo and TV dash down the hallway towards the
cargo car, with the other lounge kitties following. As they get close
Cleo allows TV to take the lead, desiring the protection of her strong,
handsome winkwink. As they get to the cargo car they see the door is
standing ajar, and a loud, very angry shriek is coming from the car.

TV bursts through the door with Cleo close on his heels. Here is what
they see:

The cargo car is full of wooden pallets. On each wooden pallet is
stacked a couple dozen large bags labeled "kitty litter". The pallet
full of stacked bags were then wrapped with shrink-wrap plastic to keep
the bags from toppling. There are at least 3 or 4 dozen pallets in the
freight car, filling it wall to wall and nose to tail.

At least half of the bags of litter have been clawed open. Where they
were opened, fine-grained clumping kitty litter has spilled out. It feel
almost soft to the paw, and doesn't appear to be dusty. Neatly centered
in each of the rips is a mound of kitty hurk. Someone apparently found
the litter to be an appropriate place to deposit their hairballs or
undigested kitty food.

On the pallet nearest the large sliding door on the side of the car is a
pallet very similar to the others, but one bag on this pallet is
off-color. While the other bags had been sewn shut with red thread, this
bag was sewn with green thread. And when this bag was clawed open, the
material that spilled out was larger chunks of sharp-cornered clay along
with a sizeable cloud of dust. This material would be better suited to
use as an industrial absorbent than as litter for sensitive kitty feet.
Standing on top of this bag is Loveable Louise, shreaking and yowling
with her tail all fluffed out.]

Louise: HISSSS!!! Somecat try hury mine paws! Dis bad stuff! Hurt paws!

Cleo: Louise! Are you ok?

Louise: I ok but somecat mean! Dis not soft litter like udders.

Cleo: May I look? [Louise hops to the next bag over so Cleo can check
things out. Cleo sniffs and paws the coarse litter and stands pondering
for a moment.] TV, I need your help! Could you jump onto the top of this
bag, dig your claws into the material near the top, and rip it down the
side? [TV hops to do as requested, shredding the side of the bag.]

Now I need the help of Lilith Kitten and Harri Roadcat. I understand
from your humans that you're both rather accomplished litter flingers.
Would you two kittens be so kind as to fling the litter from this bag,
over towards that front edge of the big door?

[The two kitties hop to the task, flinging the coarse litter with great
abandon. They quickly slow down, though, since the litter is kind rough
on sensitive paw pads. Just a couple of minutes after they begin a loud
"thunk" echoes through the cargo car. Cleo calls a halt to the little
flinging and calls the Inspector over.]

Inspector, if you would look in that pile of litter, I think you'll find
something interesting.

Inspector: Sacre bleu, it eez a necklace! In fact, I believe eet eez one
of ze necklaces stolen before the train trip began! Captain Midnight,
sir, if oyu would be so kind as to marshall some of your law enforcement
kitties, I believe zat we need to sift through the contents of zat
litter bag.

[A sharp hiss, quickly suppressed, is heard from one of the ruffian cats
who had followed the procession to the cargo car. He quickly turns and
leaves.

Cleo: Ok, everykitty, I suggest that we leave this car to the Inspector
and Capt Midnight to process. Louise, thank you! You led us to a very
important discovery. If you hadn't clawed open that bag and announced
the discrepancy we might well have missed this find.

[As she passes by the Inspector she whispers a reminder to him that
Capt. Midnight still has on board the train the fingerprint cards lifted
from all of the strange kitties, as well as the fingerprint match
results from Interpol-cat]

Ok, everykitty, let's return to the lounge car and leave the lawcats to
work. I'll buy a round of nip champagne or nip tea for everykitty.